'Significant improvement' in region's Civil Defence

A new report on Taranaki’s Civil Defence organisation has noted ‘significant improvement’ over the past five years.

“Taranaki has achieved some noteworthy momentum and is poised to make meaningful further change which will be of benefit to its communities,” says the report by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

The report is the result of a Ministry ‘Capability Assessment’ of the Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group carried out in April. The assessment took the form of detailed questionnaires and extensive interviews, and followed an inaugural assessment that took place in 2010.

The latest verdict has been welcomed by the Chairman of the Taranaki CDEM Group, Taranaki Regional Councillor Brian Jeffares. “The first assessment in 2010 was quickly followed by the Christchurch earthquakes, so we really had cause to think hard about the sort of approach we were taking and how we could better align with expanding Ministry requirements and community expectations,” he says.

“Our permanent Civil Defence professionals, along with staff from the region’s four Councils that make up the CDEM Group and other agencies, have been working hard to move the Group forward. It’s pleasing that the Ministry recognises this.”

The Ministry report says the improvements are the result of commitment at all levels. “A measured approach to improving understanding of roles and responsibilities and addressing capability whilst maintaining existing strengths now places the Taranaki Group in the advancing stage,” it says.

The Ministry says the Group’s strengths include public information and educational activities, emergency management research, exercising, warning systems, post-emergency debriefing and learning, leadership and culture, and funding arrangements.

Areas for continuing improvement include further developing community resilience, recruiting and managing volunteers, community input on hazard risk management, resourcing for large emergencies, CDEM activity at the local level and business continuity planning throughout all community sectors.

Mr Jeffares says the CDEM Group’s work programmes for 2015/2016 and beyond take these matters into account.

ENDS

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